Business Travel Takes Toll on Road Warriors

Many professionals wear their "road warrior" reputation as a badge of honor. (Think George Clooney's character in the film, Up in the Air, and his relentless drive to earn 10 million frequent flyer miles.) But too much business travel is taking its toll, according to a recent survey from ON24, a webcasting and virtual solutions company. The research, which was conducted by Harris Interactive, reveals that Americans think that constantly going out of town for client meetings and trade shows will lead to a host of problems, including stress, deterioration in physical health and damage to personal relationships. They also feel that trade shows, in particular, inspire a wealth of hedonistic and ultimately destructive behaviors. Overall, the survey participants are pleading for greater work-life balance, as organizations have gotten too demanding, in part due to lingering economic challenges. "These results illustrate that Americans believe their work-life balance is out of whack," says Denise Persson, chief marketing officer at ON24, "and that fuels their growing dislike for business travel, their resentment, and their desire for control of their own lives and how they spend their time." More than 2,100 Americans took part in the research.